Pegged as a mid first round selection when he first declared for June’s draft, Ross has quickly started to climb the mock draft boards.

Many view Ross to be in the mold of DeMar DeRozen or for the older generation, Eddie Jones.

Personally, I see Ross as a combination of the two, the athleticism of DeRozen and the defensive presence of Jones.

While Husky fans would have liked to see both Ross and Tony Wroten return for another season after what was viewed as one of failure this year, the move to the pros may have been the right decision for Ross.

1) New Orleans Hornets

The Hornets have locked down Anthony Davis as the number one pick, and if they don’t target a young point guard with their tenth pick, grabbing Ross would be a great insurance policy if Eric Gordon doesn’t return to his pre-injury form.

If Gordon returns healthy, having Ross come off the bench at either the shooting guard spot or playing behind Trevor Ariza is a great option for this young squad.

2) Phoenix Suns

The Suns are in a state of transition and need to find a replacement for Grant Hill. While Shannon Brown certainly has provided them with an athletic option off the bench, Ross is more of a pure shooter.

At 6’6″, 200lbs, Ross could also swing over to the small forward spot at times.

As with the Celtics (see number 4), learning the game from Hill would prove to be valuable for Ross.

3) Minnesota Timberwolves

Another Seattle native currently has eyes on gaining more floor time for the up and coming Timberwolves, as Martell Webster is hoping to turn his once promising career around. With Kevin Love, Luke Ridnour and Webster on the roster, there are more than enough Northwest natives to show Ross the “Ins and Outs” of the game.

At 6'6", 200lbs, Ross could also swing over to the small forward spot at times.

If you include assistant coaches Terry Porter and Jack Sikma, the fans in Seattle should consider the Timberwolves to be “Sonics-lite”. Coach Adelman has the once woeful franchise looking to be headed in the right direction.

4) Boston Celtics

Ray Allen and Paul Pierce both have their best days in the rear view mirror, but if Ross were to pick the brain of two players in the NBA and mold his game after them, those two are probably a pretty good place to start.

The Celtics, like the Mavs, are not getting any younger and having Ross learn from two of the best at their respective positions would bridge the rebuilding gap.

5) Atlanta Hawks

Yet another team that would be able to provide a Seattle raised mentor for Ross. Marvin Williams would be the guiding light for the potential Hawks SG/SF.

When Ross is not picking William’s brain, he could battle sharpshooter Joe Johnson in practice as an apprentice to the shooting guard who has four years and a bazillion dollars remaining on his contract.

On draft night, seeing Terrence Ross‘ name drop out of the top ten would be quite an upset, however stranger things have happened in NBA Draft history.

It would be a stretch to see Ross fall to the Celtics or Hawks, but something feels right about seeing Ross on the back of a Timberwolves jersey, so don’t be surprised to see Minnesota make a draft night deal.

Good stuff Steve. You think there’s any shot he ends up in Portland with the 11th pick? Hometown kid and all? I admittedly don’t know much about the blazers roster heading in to next year but it seems to me like their second pick in the draft might be a good spot to take Ross if he’s there.